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No wave as campaigning ends
By J. P. Shukla

LUCKNOW, FEB. 19. Electioneering failed to create a wave in favour of any of the claimants to power in Uttar Pradesh as the din and bustle subsided this afternoon in the rest of the 166 Assembly constituencies, scheduled to go to the polls in the third and last phase on Thursday. This, despite hectic campaigning by all top leaders of various political parties who addressed more than 500 big and small meetings in the 27 eastern districts in the last three days. About 250 of these meetings were organised by the BJP.

Conflicting claims made about the election results by various exit polls added to the confusion and prompted the political leaders not to rest till the deadline for campaigning came to an end. The very credibility of exit polls was questioned by various leaders who felt that the exercise was an attempt by ``interested parties'' to demoralise the workers of rival groups.

As no single issue could catch the imagination of the electorate, the campaigners continued to change the tone and tenor of their speeches. A debate on every issue - terrorism, national security, political stability, economic development, dangers of communalism and casteism and the performance of the Rajnath Singh-led Government in the State - was found legitimate. But that was mostly for the consumption of the mass media. The election management at the ground level was confined to the exploitation of caste combinations.

The Chief Minister and BJP leader, Rajnath Singh, today came down heavily on the exit poll results as aired by Doordarshan which, he said, were far from reality. He claimed that his party would bag 60 per cent of the seats up for election in the third phase. It would give his party an absolute majority in the State. The people were satisfied with the performance of his Government, Mr. Singh claimed. It had restored social harmony ``which was a historic development.''

The people, he said, were also sympathetic to the BJP because they felt Uttar Pradesh was the home State of the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, whose hands should be strengthened in the larger interest of the nation. India's prestige had increased tremendously under the Prime Ministership of Mr. Vajpayee.

The Congress and the Samajwadi Party countered the BJP claims about its prospects. While the SP said it would form its own Government after the elections, the Congress hoped to play a meaningful role in Government formation.

Assembly segments in Amethi and Rae Bareilly, traditional support base of the Congress, will go to the polls in the third phase. So will Hydergarh and Jehangirganj from where Rajnath Singh, and the Bahujan Samajwadi Party leader, Mayawati, are contesting.

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